An Unexpected Companion
by ibelieveinjohnlock
Summary: A mysterious girl appears at the edge of Lothlorien. She knows the names and pasts of everyone in the Fellowship. Who is she? A spy for Sauron? Or could she be one of the keys to completing their mission? This is a rewrite of my first fanfiction (that I didn't even finish -.-).
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! You may recognize this story. I hated how An Unexpected Companion was written so I've taken the liberty of rewriting my story. I was 16 years old when I first wrote it and was super cringey. I'm 20 now and can hopefully do a better job this time around. I do have a new baby girl so I may not get to update as often as I'd like but I'll do the best I can! Enjoy!**

Samwise Gamgee sat down by the banks of the Nimrodel, and stuck his aching feet into the water. Sighing in relief as the water soothed his tired muscles, he fell back against the bright green grass and closed his eyes against the hot light of the sun. The Fellowship had just arrived at the edge of the Golden Wood, otherwise known as Lothlórien. The center of Elvendom, Aragorn had said. They arrived here without Gandalf, as he had fallen into shadow fending off the fiery Balrog. Tears formed in Sam's eyes and he furiously swiped at them, knowing full well that tears would not bring Gandalf back.

Taking his feet out of the water, he stood up and began walking back to the camp. He noticed something out of the corner of his eye, and he turned to see something lying at the edge of the wood. Sam cautiously drew his barrow blade, given to him by Aragorn, and moved slowly towards it. When he drew near enough, he could see that it was a person. A girl, at that. She was clothed in rags, and she looked dead.

Sam knelt down and brushed her short, golden brown hair out of her face. Her skin felt cold as ice. She was a pretty thing, even with the bruises and cuts covering her face. She had freckles across her nose and cheeks, and her skin, though not pale, was not tanned either. Her hands were scarred, and in one hand, she held a silver battle axe. Sam lightly ran his finger along the blade, and yelped in surprise when it sliced his finger. Putting his finger in his mouth, he heard a noise come from the girl. He listened again quietly, and after a few moments, she moaned.

"Are you alright? Do you need help?" Sam asked her, leaning in close to her mouth so that he could hear her speak.

"Food..." She whispered. "I need...food...:

Then she promptly passed out.

Sam needed to get her back to the camp, but with her being bigger than him (or at least, he guessed she was), he couldn't carry her. She was skin and bones, but she was still too heavy. He couldn't leave her either, so he made a quick decision. He drew in a breath, and screamed,

"ARAGORN! EVERYONE! COME QUICKLY!"

A few moments later, Aragorn and the rest of the Fellowship came crashing through the brush, weapons drawn and eyes wild.

"Sam, what is it?! Have you seen Orcs!?" Gimli shouted.

"No, no, it's fine!" Sam replied quickly. "I need your help, this girl needs food and medicine, I think she's dying! I can't carry her by myself."

Legolas sheathed his dagger and came over to examine the girl, kneeling beside her head. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion and his face reddened slightly.

"What is she doing here..." he murmured.

Aragon swiftly bent down and picked her up, cradling her against his chest. He carried her back to camp, and when they reached it, Legolas took off his cloaks and laid one on the ground.

"Lay her down right there," he said.

When he laid her on it, he swept his other cloak over her. Then he sat down and cradled her head in his lap. Legolas placed his hand on her forehead, and a look of concern passed over his face.

"I need Athelas. There is some in my satchel, Frodo, go get it. I also need water. Merry, give me your canteen, quickly!" Legolas said.

Frodo threw the Athelas at him, and Merry handed him the canteen. Legolas ground up the plant, and mixed it with water. He then opened the girl's mouth and poured it down her throat. Laying her down gently, he placed his hand on her forehead again.

"She will rest for a while, but I think she will be alright." he said, smiling.

Sam looked at her face, wondering who she was and how she came to be at the Golden Wood, and hoped that she would awaken soon.


	2. Chapter 2

Sam sat with Merry and Pippin by the fire, eating a lunch of fish and Lembas bread. He watched the girl as he ate. She was still covered in Legolas' cloak, and she hadn't moved since they had found her four hours ago. Her fever had gone down considerably, and she had mumbled a few incoherent words, but other than that, she was as still as death. He stared at her, wanting her to wake so he could find out who she was.

"Sam!" Merry said. "You interested in the girl, eh? Isn't she a little too big for you? And I thought you had feelings for Rosie back in the Shire!"

"Shut up, Merry. I do have feelings for Rosie. I'm just wondering where she came from," Sam snapped.

Sam turned his head when he heard her cough, and stood up quickly when she sat up and looked around. Then her eyes fell on him, and Sam went speechless, staring into bright blue eyes that were ringed with grey. Aragorn approached her, and when he got close to her, she whipped around and grabbed her axe. She shot up and stood in a fighting stance, her legs spread and her axe held near her face. The girl wobbled slightly, the axe falling from her hands. She started to topple forward, but Aragorn rushed forward and caught her, making her sit back down. Sam watched as she looked around.

"Pray tell me, am I at the Golden Wood?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"You are," Legolas replied.

Sam noticed her jump as the girl slowly turned towards Legolas, and when she met his eyes, her mouth opened in shock and her cheeks reddened. After a few moments, she looked away. That made him suspicious. Did she know Legolas?

"Oh thank the Gods," she exclaimed, her voice breaking."My journey is over."

He couldn't wait any longer.

"Who are you? Where are you from?" He blurted out, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Oh, excuse me, my name is Ashlyn of Ravenhill, and I am seventeen years old." she explained.

"There is a village on Ravenhill?" Aragorn asked.

Ashlyn turned to him with an indescribable look in her eyes.

"There was. That is how I came to be here. My village was raided and destroyed by Orcs, and my family and everyone else but me...were all killed..." She trailed off.

Sam could see tears forming in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked," Sam apologized.

"No, no, it's alright," She said, wiping her eyes.

"I killed many Orcs, but there was one who evaded my axe." Ashlyn continued. "His clothing was red, as red as blood, yet he had not killed anyone. He stood there and just stared at me, and then I turned and ran. I escaped with some food, my battle axe, and the shirt and trousers that I have on. Well, they were clothes until I went through Fangorn Forest."

"You went through Fangorn Forest? And survived?" Boromir asked surprisingly.

"Yes, but that is a story for another time. Anyways, I traveled from there to here. Along the way, I ran out of food, and as I neared here, I resorted to eating berries, but I am guessing that they were poisonous. I reached the edge of the woods, with my head spinning and my stomach feeling like it was set to explode, and I collapsed onto the grass and everything went dark. Next thing I know, I woke up here." She explained.

"Thank you for getting help quickly, Samwise," Ashlyn said, smiling at him.

Before Sam could say anything, Boromir spoke up.

"Wait. We haven't told you our names. How did you know his?" Boromir asked, placing his hand on the pommel of his sword.

Her face went white, and Sam realized that they indeed had not told her their names. Ashlyn's eyes darted towards Legolas, but he didn't say anything. He just stared at her.

Boromir stalked towards her and grabbed her by the throat, choking her.

"Who are you!?" He yelled, squeezing tightly. "Are you a spy? What else do you know? Speak!"

Ashlyn clawed at his hand and Legolas rushed to pull Boromir off of her. Boromir tried to grab her again, but Legolas stopped him.

"She can't speak if you choke her. Let her be," Legolas said gently but firmly.

Boromir gaped at him for a moment, then grunted and sat down. Sam watched as Legolas checked the girl's throat. He noticed that everyone else was watching with a wary look on their faces. He knew that they had to be as unsure as he was about Ashlyn. A strange girl showing up at the edge of Lothlorien who knew his name? That was about as suspicious as it could get.

"I….I suppose there's no way around it," Ashlyn spoke, rubbing her throat. "I have the power of omniscience. For as long as I can remember, I have had this strange power. A voice whispered this to me when I was five as I laid in my bed. _You cannot tell anyone about their future, but you may prevent what will happen. _Thankfully I've learned how to block myself from seeing a person's future. I'm assuming you all helped to carry me over here because I know all of your names. I don't know your futures though. I'm surprised the wall held up with me being as weak as I was."

When I was younger, I didn't understand how I knew all that I knew after I touched a person. When I touched my father's arm, I could see everything that happened in his past, everything from the death of his brother when he was eight, to his marriage to my mother when he was 32. I also saw his future...his death. But I couldn't prevent it. My mother knew of my power and told me to never tell anyone, for fear that they would think I was insane. So I couldn't tell my village about their impending deaths. But I tried to save them, I killed as many Orcs as I could, and I nearly saved my brother and sister. But I wasn't quick enough, and they were killed. I have always tried to use my power for good, please believe me.." She finished.

Ashlyn bowed her head. Everyone was silent for a few moments, and then Aragorn spoke.

"We should take her with us into Lothlórien. The Lady Galadriel will know if she has a pure soul. If she intends to harm us, Galadriel will let us know." He said.

"And what if she kills us all before we reach it? How can you trust her?" Boromir snapped.

"I never said that I trusted her," Aragorn replied coolly. "And we outnumber her eight to one. I'm pretty sure that we will be fine."

Boromir turned red and huffed, but didn't say anything else.

"We need to enter into Lothlórien now." Aragorn said to the others. "Clean up camp."

Ashlyn turned to face Merry.

"May I have some of that bread, Meriadoc?" Ashlyn asked timidly. "I'm starving…."

"Of course, here you go. And please, call me Merry." He said, handing her a piece.

Ashlyn smiled at him, and took the bread, wolfing it down.

"That was delicious. It was Lembas, correct?" She said.

Merry nodded, and the Fellowship started cleaning up camp, with Ashlyn helping them. She said that she was strong enough to help, thanks to the Athelas and Legolas' help. Once they cleaned up, they headed into the Golden Wood. They were soon stopped by a group of elves aiming arrows at them. Once Aragorn stated why they were there, the Elves guided them to Lothlórien as soon as they gave up their weapons. When they reached the beautiful grove, Ashlyn gazed in wonder at the beautiful trees and the marble staircases. She was so distracted by its beauty that she almost tripped walking up them. Legolas caught her and Sam saw her face turn bright red as she pushed Legolas away from her. This only made his suspicions increase. Maybe there was something Legolas wasn't telling them. But those thoughts were pushed to the side as the Fellowship was lead up the huge, glowing staircase, and were presented to the Lady of Light, Galadriel.


	3. Chapter 3

"Welcome to Lothlórien," Lady Galadriel said, her voice high and melodic. "I trust you are well?"

"We are, Lady of Light," Aragorn replied.

Galadriel looked around, her light blue eyes searching the group.

"Gandalf...he is not with you. I wished to speak with him, where is he?" She said after a few moments.

"He fell into shadow, along with the Balrog," Ashlyn replied, then immediately ducked her head, and chastised herself for speaking out loud.

Galadriel moved towards her, and placed her cool fingers under Ashlyn's chin, lifting her head. Ashlyn's blue eyes met Galadriel's.

_You are not of the Fellowship, young one._ Galadriel spoke in her mind, her eyes searching Ashlyn.

_No, I am not, my Lady._

_You have the power of the Ancient Ones, yet this is only your seventeenth year on Middle Earth._

_I do, my lady...and that is why I am here. For your help and your guidance, if you will give it to me. I have told the others of my power. They do not trust me, and I can understand why._

Galadriel stared at her for a moment, then turned to Aragorn.

"She is pure of heart and soul. She means no harm to the Fellowship. I shall tell you this, though: She must be protected at all costs, as she is the last of a people who held this power. If you touch her, you have no secrets. You must take her with you on your quest. Now, I wish to speak to Legolas. Alone."

She stared pointedly at Legolas, who seemed uncomfortable and avoided her gaze.

"My elves will escort you to your sleeping quarters," she said, after a long moment.

With that, she dismissed them.

An elf with white-blond hair and golden eyes made Ashlyn follow her up a beautiful marble, spiral staircase to a room that had a vanity with a mirror, a soft, goose-down bed, and a balcony. The elf laid some new clothes on the bed for her, as Ashlyn's clothes were torn and reduced to rags.

"Thank you," Ashlyn said, and inclined her head.

The elf smiled and nodded, then left down the staircase.

Ashlyn sat down on the soft bed, thinking about her long journey and how she had finally made it to her destination after a long two and a half months. Smiling, she thought of all the friends she had made along the way...and then she thought of her family. She went out onto the balcony, and placed her shaking hands on the golden railing.

It was so beautiful here. The tall trees had lovely golden leaves, and she could hear the murmur of the nearby river. Her family would have loved to have seen this place. She thought of her sweet sister, Kareswyn, and her little brother, Caryn. Her beautiful mother, and her strong father...killed by Orcs. Her sister had been cut in half, the blood bright red against the yellow of her nightgown. Her brother's neck torn open, and his brown hair had been black with blood. And her mother...she couldn't even think of her poor mother. And her father had been ripped to pieces by the Orc known as Gothmog. He had died trying to protect her. The orcs had come on Saruman's orders to capture her and bring her to the Tower of Orthanc. If only she didn't have this stupid power, her family, her entire village, would still be here.

Tears pooled in her eyes, and her breath caught in her throat. Sinking down to the floor, she put her face in her knees and sobbed. When she heard a footstep, she snatched up her axe.

"Whoa!" Sam said, throwing up his hands. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare...wait...Ashlyn, are you okay?"

He could see tears on her cheeks and her face was puffy and red. Sam wanted to move towards her, but not while she held her silver axe in her hand.

"No...I'm not..."She said, laying down her axe. There was no point in lying.

"Were you thinking of your family?" He asked softly, coming to sit beside her.

"Yes..." She whispered. "They were killed in terrible ways...my ten year old brother was killed by an Orc who slit his throat, my dear sister was cut in half...and my mother...It's my fault that they died" Ashlyn murmured, her voice breaking, then she burst into tears again.

Sam didn't know what to do. He was hesitant to touch her, but she already knew his past. Ashlyn told them that she couldn't see their futures if she didn't want to. So he decided to hug her. Ashlyn jolted a little when he wrapped his arms around her, but she didn't pull away. He rubbed her back, and said quietly into her ear,

"I can't say I understand, because I've never lost family members the way you have lost yours, but I know that it hurts. I'm not saying you'll forget about them, but I'm saying that it won't hurt as much as time goes on. You'll see. It's not your fault at all. You can't help that you were given this power. You didn't ask for it. I'm sure your family doesn't blame you."

When she quieted a short while later, she slowly stood up and helped Sam to his feet.

"Thank you for letting me cry on your shoulder, Sam. I really appreciate it," Ashlyn said, smiling and awkwardly patted his shoulder. Then her expression turned serious.

"Can I ask you a question, Sam?"

Sam looked surprised.

"Of course, go ahead," he replied.

"Why did you come on this journey? It's dangerous and you could be killed, aren't you...I mean no offense but...aren't you afraid?"

"It's okay. Yes, I'm afraid, but...well...the reason why I came on this journey is that I was appointed as Frodo's protector. I was...listening in on Gandalf and Frodo's conversation about the Ring under Frodo's window, and Gandalf caught me. As "punishment," he sent me on this journey as Frodo's protector. I mean, I don't mind, because Frodo has been my friend for many years and I would protect him at all costs, even if it means my own death. And I'm never going to betray him, I would rather die than give him up to the enemy. The worst thing you can do to someone, besides kill them, of course, is betray their trust that they have given you."

Ashlyn was silent for a moment, taking in every word, then said,

"You're fiercely loyal to him. And that is a rare quality to have in this terrible time."

Sam blushed and ducked his head, which made Ashlyn laugh.

"So," she continued mischievously, "why were you under the window in the first place?"

His face turned red, and he told her the story of Bilbo Baggins' 111th birthday party and the events that followed. They spent the rest of the night regaling stories and recalling the past. He had her laughing with stories of Merry and Pippin's mischief, and she made him burst into gales of laughter when she told him the story of how her and her brother turned their sister's hair bright pink. Then, as the sky lightened, they both got up. Ashlyn thanked him for staying up with her and tiredly went to her room. The last thought that went through her mind before she fell asleep was that it was nice to have a friend.

_The Orc crept closer to her hiding place under the log pile. Clutching the axe closer, she heard her mother scream as she was raped repeatedly and then was silenced when an Orc decapitated her. A sob escaped Ashlyn's mouth, and she cursed herself as she saw the blasted creature wheel around and run towards her. He started throwing logs off of the pile and she screamed. The Orc pulled her out, and she desperately swung her axe at it to no avail. It stabbed her repeatedly as she shrieked, the pain worse than anything she had ever felt before._

"Ashlyn! ASHLYN!"

Ashlyn shot up in bed and swung wildly, her fist connecting with something soft. She frantically tried to get away, but her legs tangled in the bedsheets and she fell to the floor. But before she could fall the whole way down, someone caught her.

She stared up at Aragorn and her sleep-addled mind registered that she was in Lothlórien. Aragorn happened to be sporting a bruised cheek. Ashlyn quickly stood up with his help.

"Oh, gods, I'm so sorry, Aragorn! I swear I didn't mean to," She apologised, her face growing hot.

"No, no, it's my fault," Aragorn said, laughing a little. "I should know better than to wake someone who is having a nightmare. This isn't the first time this has happened."

"How did you….."

"You were yelling and crying in your sleep. It wasn't hard to tell," Aragorn said before she could finish. "May I ask what it was about?"

Ashlyn was quiet for a moment.

"I dreamt about my mother's death," She replied, looking down at the floor.

Aragorn's face was grim.

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that, Ashlyn. But something like that won't happen again now that you're with us. We will protect you at all costs, like the Lady Galadriel said. I trust you to help us with this quest," He said, and Ashlyn looked up in shock.

"You trust me? But you barely know me! Don't you think you're being a bit…naive?" She asked.

Aragorn shook his head.

"When Galadriel tells me to trust someone, I usually listen. Now, you must get dressed. We have a meeting with the Lady and we shouldn't keep her waiting."

Aragorn left the room so Ashlyn could change. She had a bit of trouble with the contraption that covered her breasts, but she got it on in a short time. The shirt that she had been given was green silk, and the pants were black leather. She kept her old and worn leather boots that her father had given her, and checked to make sure that the beaded necklace her brother and sister had given her was still in place. She had forgotten about it, but as she touched the rough surfaces of the wood beads, she felt a pang of grief. Shaking her head, Ashlyn gathered her things and went down the staircase with Aragorn.

They reached the Council room on time. Aragorn sat on the other side of Frodo, and Galadriel gestured to the seat beside her. Ashlyn bowed her head and sat gracefully beside the Lady of Light. When everyone else was seated, Galadriel rose out of her seat.

"I have called you to Council, so that we may discuss an important part of your mission," She said, then looked at Ashlyn. "The girl with the power of the Ancient Ones."

Ashlyn shrank down in her seat, trying to make herself seem smaller as everyone stared at her.

"The power of omniscience is a rare power indeed," Galadriel continued. "It is a power that is coveted by many. You are lucky to have found her when you did before any other...unsavory characters got to her first.

Boromir stood up quickly, interrupting her.

"We cannot bring her with us! The enemy could capture her, torture her for information. It's too much of a risk!" He said heatedly.

Legolas shot up from his seat, surprising Ashlyn.

"She survived the carnage at Ravenhill, and she survived the journey from there to Lothlórien! She's good with her battle axe, and she holds the power of omniscience, so I think she'd know if they were planning on torturing her!" He shouted angrily.

Then he hesitantly turned to Ashlyn.

"Wouldn't you?" He asked her quietly.

"During the slaughter, an Orc grabbed me. Before I killed it, I saw that they had orders to bring me to Saruman and that they planned on using me for their benefit. Sauron wants to use me as a weapon, and I would rather die than help him," She said, looking up at Galadriel.

Then she turned to Aragorn, who was seated next to Legolas.

"Aragorn, if I am captured, I want you to kill me before they get away. And if you can't, then Legolas, I want you to do, because you are an expert shot and will be able to kill me." She said sadly.

Everyone sat in grim silence for a moment.

"Agreed, " Aragorn said.

Legolas didn't respond, and just sat there staring at the ground, his face red.

"If they are able to capture me and take me to Sauron, then Middle-Earth is doomed. It's better for me to be killed than to be used as a weapon of mass destruction." She declared, glaring at Legolas, who flinched.

"There is no question about it that she needs to go with you," Galadriel said, turning to finally answer Boromir. "She is strong and powerful. As I said, she is crucial to your journey, but if all else fails...kill her. Sauron must NOT be able to use her power. Keep her safe."

She adjourned the council, and everyone prepared to leave. Before Ashlyn returned to her room, she turned to Galadriel and Frodo talking. Galadriel then handed Frodo a vial, and she knew immediately that it was a vial containing the Light of Eärendil. Frodo looked up at Galadriel and said something, then he turned to go. He met Ashlyn's eyes, and he stopped next to her.

"Do you know what is going to happen?" Frodo asked hesitantly. "To all of us? And the ring?"

"No, I don't," She replied. "I have seen the minds of everyone in the Fellowship, but I kept myself from seeing their futures. Including yours, Frodo Baggins."

He stared at her for a moment, then he bowed his head and walked away. Ashlyn trudged up the spiral staircase to her room to gather her things.

She had lied to Frodo. She had seen the future of one of the men in the Fellowship, Boromir. When he grabbed her throat and started choking her, she couldn't stay focused long enough to keep her wall up. He was going to die, and it would be painful. Of course, that was if she didn't stop it first.

Placing a change of clothes in her satchel that was given to her by an Elf, she grabbed her axe and noticed something. The metal gleamed. Someone had cleaned it while she was in the Council meeting. She could finally read the inscription on the handle after a month and a half of travel. Her father had carved it onto the axe's handle on her tenth birthday, right before he began her battle training.

_If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle._


End file.
